A fire protection system may comprise a sprinkler system and/or a standpipe system. A sprinkler system is an active fire protection measure that provides adequate pressure and flow to a water distribution piping system, onto which a plurality of fire sprinklers is connected. Each closed-head sprinkler can be triggered once an ambient temperature around the sprinkler reaches a design activation temperature of the individual sprinkler head. In a standard wet-pipe sprinkler system, each sprinkler activates independently when the predetermined heat level is reached. Because of this, the number of sprinklers that operate is limited to only those near the fire, thereby maximizing the available water pressure over the point of fire origin.
A standpipe system is another type of fire protection measure consisting of a network of vertical piping installed in strategic locations within a multi-story building. The vertical piping may deliver large volumes of water to any floor of the building to supply hose lines of firefighters, for example.
In order to provide water flow at a high pressure to a fire protection system, a fire pump may be installed within a fire pump room of a building. Generally, fire pumps are needed when a water source cannot provide sufficient pressure to meet hydraulic design requirements of a fire protection system. This usually occurs in a building that is tall, such as a high-rise building, or in a building that requires a relatively high terminal pressure in the fire protection system to provide a large volume of water, such as a storage warehouse. In one example, a fire pump may start when a pressure in a fire protection system drops below a certain predetermined start pressure. For example, the pressure in the fire protection system may drop significantly when one or more fire sprinklers are exposed to heat above their design temperature, and open, releasing water. Alternately, fire hose connections to standpipe systems may be opened by firefighters causing a pressure drop in the fire protection system.
Operation of the fire pump may be controlled by a fire pump controller that is located in the vicinity of the fire pump room. For example, the fire pump controller may be a microprocessor-based controller that automatically causes the fire pump to start when a water pressure is below a pressure set point. The fire pump may be powered by an electric motor, a diesel engine, or a steam turbine that is also located in the vicinity of a fire pump room. In addition to the fire pump and fire pump controller, the fire pump room may include other pump room devices associated with regulation or control of the fire protection system. Example pump room devices include a jockey pump, a jockey pump controller, an emergency generator, and a power transfer switch, among other possible devices.